Gnothi Se Auton
by SpacemanSpiff
Summary: [FFIV]...It means Know Thyself. Rydia leaves the underground, and she's unsure of whether she'll ever go back. Meanwhile Cecil meets his...mother? There are many lost souls, and only a few are ever found.
1. The Message

A/N: Well I've been away for a good while, and I'm a bit rusty, but I'm back in business now. I haven't really even looked at the FFIV novel, unfortunately, but the whole point of writing the novel was to give me ideas for my own stories, which is where this one comes from. I got the idea while I was writing the next chapter in Part II of the novel, which I still have yet to complete. :::sigh::: It's a long road ahead. But I'm going to finish everything at some point in time. This fic shouldn't be all that long, probably only five or six chapters, but who knows. I hope I haven't lost my touch here, but I'm feelin pretty good about this story. If you're looking for an action/adventure fic then I'm going to go ahead and tell you to stop. There will be a little action, and it'll be quite an adventure, but this is more of a journey into Cecil's past, as well as the life of his family…including the man clad in darkness himself. If you're wondering where I got the title, it's an ancient Greek admonition, inscribed on the Sun god Apollo's Oracle of Delphi temple. If you don't know what I'm talking about then look it up on Google or something. The phrase literally translates into "Know Thyself" which I think is absolutely perfect for this particular story, and hopefully you will come to the same conclusion by the end. Well, I'll stop myself before I totally spoil anything, so without further adieu, I give you chapter one of:

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**Gnothi Se Auton**

_A Final Fantasy IV Story_

_by SpacemanSpiff_

_ The Message_

_ **...**_

..._until we meet again, brother..._

"Cecil, we must not leave our guests waiting much longer," the sweet voice poured out of the small doorway, out onto the lonely balcony where white drapes swirled around a lonely man. He stood staring for a moment longer, pale rays of a distant moon gracing his features as he finally turned to walk back inside. "We're becoming rather unfashionably late, my dear."

"Yes, it's just that..."

Cecil could hardly put himself together fast enough to let the sentence roll from his tongue, leaving his wife, his true love, to stare at him blankly. A cool breeze passed through the balcony doorway, grasping at silk curtains and kissing the Paladin King's gentle cheek. For an eternal moment, Cecil shut his eyes and felt his father's hand fall strong on his shoulder. He smiled as he opened his eyes again to the essence of all beauty before him.

"Just what?" she said with a questionable grin on her face, standing so perfect as she waited for her husband's answer. Cecil took a few quick steps towards her before sweeping her into his arms, holding her as close as could be.

"It's just that you're so beautiful," Cecil whispered in her perfect ear, "I would rather stay and gaze upon your face than to have to share it with the world."

"You're so sweet, Cecil, but you know what?" she said almost sincerely enough for him to believe her for a moment. He knew she wasn't falling for it.

"What's that?"

"You're messing up my dress, which took me several hours to prepare." she whispered with such a coy tone that it actually made the hair on Cecil's neck stand on end, even if she was telling him to let her go. "But a simple kiss will suffice."

Cecil unwrapped her from his bear hug, leaving his lips pressed to hers before finally letting her straighten out what small wrinkles had developed on her gown. It flowed like an ivory waterfall down the cliffs of her body, from her chest down to the tips of her toes. It was immaculate in every way, and on its own would have made her stand out in any crowd. But she still fancied her silk robes, which had men wishing every moment that she may get just a little too hot and perhaps take them off. Though she was now a Queen, she honored her previous title as a white wizard, even though the robes she wore now were much finer than any she had ever worn in those days. But she knew that's who she was, and she would always remember where she came from.

"I don't even know why we're having this banquet in the first place," Cecil muttered as Rosa made her way to a delicate sash hanging on the wall beside the tower door. She turned to him with a look of impatience, and Cecil could see her words coming from a mile away.

"Yes you do. Don't even try to get out of this one," she warned as she threw the sash over her head, leaving it to hang on her shoulder as it fell across her body. Ancient words and symbols were stretched upon the fabric, and it only added to her beautiful figure. The adornment was given to her for her unsurpassed knowledge in the arts of white magic. She was a true master of her skill. The sash bounced lively as she hurried over to her husband's side, wrapping her hand around his right arm and facing him towards the door. "Besides, this is the last one we will have to attend for a while. So suck it up, dear."

"I guess you're right," Cecil conceded with a faint sigh that was more of an attempt to get a rise out of Rosa than anything else. He smiled at her as he began to lead her slowly towards the door. "You always are."

"I just have more sense than most women." she said matter-of-factly, squeezing Cecil's arm just a little. As they stopped at the door, they looked at each other once more, smiles mirrored with each other. Cecil took a step forward to open the door for his angel, who was still smiling rather coy at her husband. "I would've thought you had figured that out by now."

"After you, milady." Cecil gestured her through the door into the tower stairwell, lit by the warming presence of overhanging candle chandeliers. She briskly tugged Cecil along by his arm as they made their way down to join their guests in the banquet hall.

...

The great hall was lively with chatter, people dressed in their most delightful attire with more colors than even a rainbow could hold all at once. Everyone stood around the long table stretched down the middle of the room, elegantly bathed with a red silk cloth, gold lacings sewn in beautiful patterns all about it. Everyone was waiting anxiously to meet the King and Queen, though not impatiently, for the room was a sight to see, and most enjoyed just walking around. Fine china and silverware lay peacefully in perfect symmetry up and down the table, plates waiting to be fed by something extravagant, crystal chalices waiting to be filled with the finest wine. Above the table, reaching down from the high ceiling was a magnificent chandelier crafted entirely from crystal, with more than enough candles to fill the room with light and warmth. Not to mention the gold candle stands placed upon the dining table itself, made with such sweet wax that smelled so divine. It was a heavenly setting for any occasion. The banquet hall was waiting with great expectations for what the night's meal would bring, and the guests were finding themselves lost in its splendor. The meal was the last thing on their minds, what with such delightful sights to see. Not to mention they were all standing in the castle, the very homeland, of the Earth's savior.

Although it had been nearly two years since the end of the Crystal Wars, it was still spoken of a great deal throughout the world; truly a historic mark in time. Cecil had only recently discovered that he had been written into books of text and delivered to libraries and schools everywhere. Needless to say he was never truly inclined to read them. Even the castle artists insisted on painting murals, canvases, and portraits of him and his journey to adorn the great hall. There was a portrait of Cecil and Rosa together in each other's arms hanging on the north wall behind their respective seats at the table, suspended gracefully just above the great door so everyone could see. Cecil had made sure his personal favorite artist had painted that picture, for he would stand for nothing less than perfection. As beautifully rendered as that was, what caught the majority of the people's eye was the mural painted on the long west wall.

It was a scene that none could even fathom, for it was but four warriors standing against the purest form of hatred that mankind had ever seen. The creature's body was but an outline within a dark flame, enveloped by what the artists referred to as "shadow's fire". It was stunning work to be sure, and each valiant hero and heroine was brought to life upon the wall. It was the spitting image of that crystal lair on the moon, with Zeromus standing so perfectly evil against Cecil and his legendary sword, Rosa glowing in all of her magic, Sir Edge with the sacred twin katanas, Masamune and Murasame, and finally Rydia standing rigid, hands outstretched and her long emerald hair floating not unlike a cape in the wind. No one seemed to notice that there was something missing...or rather, someone.

"Good fellows and fine ladies!" the herald came forward from the great door to the hall, standing at the north end where everyone could clearly see. Once everyone had finished with their hearsay and tittle-tattle, the announcement came forth, "May I present to you, His Majesty, King Cecil of Baron, and Her Highness, Queen Rosa."

The great doors opened with a mighty shudder, and with them came a streak of new light pouring in, followed by the two guards who were pushing with all they hand against the old hinges. Once they were opened, the guards stood upright, breathing a bit out of exhaustion, and waited for their King and Queen to step through. Everyone stared with a mix of awe and envy as the two utterly enlightening beings stepped ever so gracefully down the short stair and up to their seats at the table. They stood with every bit of radiance that their guests had come to expect, and none said a word as the guards once more showed their considerable strength in managing the doors closed. For a brief moment all was quiet; nothing but the flickering candles whispering their flames to one another.

"Everyone please, take a seat anywhere you would like," Cecil kindly implored with a waft of his strong hand over the table scene. The guests began to pull out their chairs and rest their soles, finding great comfort in the plush pillows they sat upon. "I do apologize for my lack of punctuality, but being the King sometimes requires one to be overdue."

The guests laughed a bit as they took their seats, not minding at all for Cecil's tardiness. Cecil kindly took Rosa's chair for her and sat her at the table, as did most of the gentleman courting ladies to this particular function. Once everyone had taken their seats, a door rushed open at the south-eastern end of the room, and as if on cue the food was brought in on large silver platters, some too big to be carried by a single man. There were three of each different platter, usually enough to serve thirty people or so, which was about how many were attending tonight's meal. The aroma that began to fill the room was astounding, and some people simply closed their eyes to enjoy the scent of an unknown feast. Once all the dishes were set upon the great table, the lids were lifted, and the steam rose like a warm mist into the sweet, waxy air. An essence of ecstasy seemed to wash over the room, and mouths watered like running faucets with the sight of some of the finest cuisine before their very eyes.

"May the Gods bless this meal before us, and may we all live in prosperity for as long as we all shall live." Cecil announced as he rose from his golden throne at the head of the table, Rosa beaming up at him from his side. As he spoke, the servants were filling the chalices with a select wine that could only be found in Baron itself. With all glasses filled to perfection, Cecil lifted his wine to his guests, and one by one they all answered with their own. "A toast on this fine occasion. Let us eat, drink, and be merry, and may the peace grow with our bellies."

"Here Here!"

"Amen!"

Everyone took a generous sip of their wine, a sweet taste off the very vines of the Baron lands, twisting the tongue in its grandeur. Everything was absolutely perfect, and mouths were soon finding themselves stuffed with things more delicious than they had imagined. Cecil took his seat once more and began to carve a piece of meat from the large platter set in front of him. He laid a small portion on Rosa's plate, as well as he did for those guests sitting close enough to him to do so. Plates were overflowing with luscious meats and steaming vegetables, and bowls were full to the brim with succulent stews and soups.

"This all looks marvelous, Your Majesty. We do thank you for the invitation," said a large bearded man at Cecil's right side, looking as though he very well could take the meal by himself. A very kind, jovial man that Cecil could almost instantly befriend. "We hope to have you to our kingdom in the near future."

"You're too kind, Sir Hector, and please call me Cecil."

"But of course, Your Majesty," Hector caught himself in mid-sentence and he chuckled a bit as he went on, "I apologize, Sir Cecil."

"Think nothing of it. Enjoy your meal and do not fret. We will have plenty of time to discuss the plans of your future kingdom."

"I do thank you, Sir Cecil."

The meal went on as people further down found more and more to talk about, and the wine was served quite frequently to that end of the table. Those who had more important matters to discuss at Cecil's end were found to be taking their drink a bit more in moderation. Women gabbled to their men and to each other about the lavish decorations, the ambrosial fare, and to the men, the stunning beauty of Her Highness, Queen Rosa, as she sat under a heavenly glow at the head of the table. To the women, Cecil seemed perfectly radiant in his ivory and gold attire. Rosa never had to worry, however, for Cecil would have to be a lot dumber than she thought to ever leave her.

After destroying the meal upon his plate, leaving not even a crumb behind, Hector lifted his chalice as he wiped what had survived from his beard. From washing the massacre down he smiled gleefully at the host and hostess, giving a hearty belch to show his gratitude. They all laughed a bit as Hector's wife slapped him a good once or twice for good measure.

"You'll have to excuse my husband, Your Majesty," the wife explained hastily, "He seems to have forgotten just where he is."

"I do apologize, Sir Cecil, for it is a custom in our land to acknowledge a good meal." Hector vouched for his behavior, still smiling as his cheeks flushed a light color of red. His wife took a generous gulp of her wine. "I do seem to have forgotten my whereabouts."

"It is quite fine, and I'm sure our chefs do appreciate your compliments," Cecil affirmed with a hearty smile before dipping his chalice at his lips. It was filled as soon as the glass touched the table, a servant standing in wait for His Majesty's wine to empty. "I will make sure to pass the message on to him tonight."

A warm laughter fell from their mouths as they imagined someone, especially the King himself, walking up to the chef and belching in his face. It was a night filled with nothing but good sensations, and as long as the candles burned, the feast would continue. But now that they had eaten their fill at the business end of the table, time was drawing near for the heads to talk. Small talk at first.

"So what fine meal have we just had ourselves tonight, Sir Cecil?" Hector relayed a whispered message from his slightly inebriated wife.

"Well if you'd really like to know then you'll have to ask my dear Rosa here. She makes most of the arrangements for these engagements."

"Well, Sir Hector," Rosa began to explain the courses, rather excited that she was actually finding something to talk about with her guests, "We served several delicacies tonight such as our well-known Imp stew and carrot soup. The main course, however, is something we save for only our finest guests. You've just had rack of raven tonight, and we cannot even find raven here in Baron. We actually had to get it from the far lands of Mysidia."

"And how are things in Mysidia?" Hector made a crafty segue into more business matters. "Any word on whether or not they have signed or even agreed to the Gaea Treaty?"

"No such word as of now, Sir Hector, but we are in good spirits that they will soon send notice of their agreement." Cecil answered with higher hopes than he truly sensed, and in the back of his mind he was rather worried that Mysidia might never respond.

"It is rather strange, don't you think?" Hector pried a bit more into the situation, though not trying to dig in too deep, keenly aware that the matters were somewhat sensitive here in Baron. "The treaty was declared several months ago, and nearly every known kingdom and commune has already sent it back with a signature. Without their accord, I'm afraid the treaty will collapse."

"Such worries, Sir Hector. Shouldn't we focus more on establishing your land of Agart as a kingdom?" Cecil attempted to stray the conversation into a new direction, one more appropriate for the occasion. "Will you have enough supply to finish your castle?"

"I believe we will have plenty, and we thank you for everything you have offered us on our way." Hector nodding with sincere appreciation as his wife took another swig of her wine.

"We have decided to build directly into the mountain side, as to provide a somewhat unique defense for ourselves, as well as to save materials," spoke a younger and somewhat thinner, though still bearded man across the table from Hector. Cecil looked over to see the man's rather serious face glaring right back at him. Cecil almost felt uncomfortable just looking at his bone driven face. A powerful visage he surely did have.

"This is my younger brother, Philip of Tomera." Hector introduced the iron-faced gentleman, who continued to stare with no apparent change in his features. "He is the head of our council in Agart, and quite a knowledgeable fellow if I do say so myself." This is where Hector noticed Cecil's apparent uneasiness with Philip's constant stare. He leaned in and got Cecil's attention to whisper something into his ear, "He doesn't get out much."

"Ah..." Cecil concurred. Philip finally broke his stone stare and went back to picking at his plate, pushing meat into a stack of beans like a steamroller.

"And as of now, Philip is the only heir to our soon-to-be throne, but let's do keep that hush-hush." Hector said rather quietly as he put a hand to the side of his mouth, as if hiding the truth from the rest of the table. Cecil nodded to assure him that the conversation would never leave the great hall. But of course Hector's wife had overheard the statement, and in her present condition she took it upon herself to speak up.

"We'll soon change that, now won't we, dear?!" Hector's wife blurted out as she leaned heavily against her husband's shoulder, clearly unable to keep her own balance.

"Yes, my dear. I'm sure we'll take care of that tonight," Hector replied in her drunken ear, helping her back up against her own chair, of which she kept complaining was spinning around way too fast. "My wife is not entirely accustomed to so much wine. You'll have to excuse her for the night."

"It's quite alright. It is getting quite late. Perhaps we should retire the ladies and make our way to the next room." Cecil offered the opportunity to get the real business out of the way. After such a fine meal, no one could possibly speak against it.

"That would be fine, Sir Cecil." Hector agreed, leaning over to his wife to let her know what was going on before the wine started speaking for her again. Cecil informed Rosa to take the guests to the leisure room before they stood up from their seats. As they did, the entire table stood up like a sudden wave of air had pushed each bottom out of its seat. They continued to talk however, recognizing that the meal had finally come to its conclusion, and Hector came around to shake the King and Queen's holy hands.

Hector stood nearly a foot shorter than Cecil, though nearly twice as wide at the midsection. He truly looked like a King, with his colorful vestments of green and red, trimmed in elegant yellow feathers. With the substantial brown beard overruling his face, and his polished dome of a head, he almost resembled Cid. His wife wore matching colors, with a beautiful scarlet dress and an evergreen shawl that didn't quite make it to the top of her head, but draped over her shoulders like liquid fabric. The shawl was held by a clip through the bun made from her silky chocolate brown hair. She was noticeably thinner than her husband and actually was a bit taller, but not by much. They both seemed absolutely vivacious and sociable, which was quite a stark contrast to Hector's brother. Philip just stood alone; the woman he was supposedly courting was off gossiping with other women. He obviously wasn't much of a people person, but he must have had the mind of a genius to run the council of Agart.

"It was a pleasure having you come all this way just to see us, sir Hector." Rosa politely thanked the future King of Agart as she held out a delicate hand. Hector took it with more grace and care than he would a feather, a lively smile spread across his face.

"Believe me, Your Highness, the pleasure was all ours."

"Rosa will assist your wife, as well as the other guests, to the leisure room," Cecil assured him, seeing that he had some hint of dread for what his wife might do in her state of mind.

"Thank you, Your Highness, but I must warn you," Hector said with a playful tone of seriousness, "She can be quite a handful sometimes."

"I think I can handle it." Rosa replied with a confident smile, walking over and taking the staggering woman gently by the arm, guiding her towards the south door. Rosa rallied the herd of befuddled people and led them all out of the great hall and down to their next destination.

"She'll be fine, Sir Hector." Cecil said as he reached an arm around the man's shoulder, turning him towards the east door. "Rosa can be quite a handful herself sometimes. You should have seen her at the first banquet we attended as King and Queen. We still have yet to be invited back to Toroia."

Hector chuckled from his bouncing belly, and was instantly feeling a bit better about his wife's abuse of the vine. They began to walk towards the door as they laughed of Rosa's drunken tale, but they stopped as Cecil almost ran into Philip. He hadn't even seen him, but now his statued face was all he could see, and it sent a shiver down his spine. Philip was a bit taller than Hector and his wife, though still a good half of a foot shorter than Cecil. His hair stood lively and red atop his head, and it joined with his short beard like a chin strap. Hector cleared his throat as they stopped, and the laughter had died down to an awkward silence.

"May my brother join us?" Hector asked, almost begging, for he knew Cecil was quite uncomfortable with Philip's alien air. "He will need to know much of our business, and it will only make it easier on both of us. He knows much of which I do not, and could be of some assistance."

"Surely, he may join us." Cecil said whole-heartedly, though inside it was more like half-hearted...maybe quarter-hearted.

"Perhaps he can help us find a way to get through to the Mysidians," Hector suggested, as though he was trying to justify Philips presence in the chamber. They made their way to the east door and the guards quickly pushed the doors away into the meeting room. "Make them understand the severity of the situation."

"Perhaps..." Cecil followed as the guards slowly pulled the doors shut behind them, leaving the warmth of the great hall in their wake.

_Perhaps..._

_ ..._

Cecil watched from his balcony as the last of the grand carriages pulled through the castle gates, the portcullis slowly shutting the mouth of Baron, like a yawn that had lasted too long. Though the Paladin King was in good spirits after the fine banquet and his good time spent with Hector, he still had the look of everlasting loneliness. He couldn't exactly place what was missing, and he wasn't even sure if there actually was something troubling him. But there had to be, for he could only find comfort in the moon, hanging a bit higher in the sky now that the night had grown a few hours older. He even had Rosa fooled, which was no easy task.

_"I told you the banquet would perk you up,"_ she had said as they sent their guests on their merry way. Cecil had tried hard to make himself seem as though he was enjoying the warm moments, the sweet atmosphere, and it hurt to smile. He felt like he was lying to his own wife every time he acted so happy and joyful, pretending to enjoy this new life that he had been given. But it all felt like a lie, spreading like a plague on his soul that would fester like an open wound. He couldn't stand to have all these great things he had been given, all this prosperity and love, for he felt as though he couldn't possibly deserve them. It was a simple thing that troubled his waters, swirling his emotions into a tempest, and it was so obvious he could not even see it. He did not know who he was.

"Why am I not happy?" Cecil begged the moon, as though he could hear words falling through the pale beams that shimmered on his face. It only answered him with silence, which was no surprise as that's how it answered him every night...every night in which he would beg for his life. "I feel as though this life is not mine, and that I should turn it over to its rightful owner, but how can that be? What is it that finds me here with nothing but a tattered soul?"

The moon continued to wash him in its soft glow, giving Cecil nothing more than it's presence for support. Somehow that always seemed to help, just to have it there for him to see, as if it would stand there with him on that balcony for all eternity. But even the moon had better things to do, and Cecil didn't always have its company to count on. Those were the worst nights, when the moon was in full shadow, or when the storms rolled through the night sky. In those times he was able to find Rosa as a spiritual replacement, but even now in these troubled times, he was finding her less and less beneficial for soothing his mind. He was left only with the moon, the only other soul with which he could find something in common. Loneliness.

The faint scratch of night slippers scampering across smooth stone took Cecil's attention for a moment, nearly turning him around to see his wife standing behind him. But his eyes begged to stay on the night, fearing the moon may disappear should they lose sight of it. Rosa came up from behind and wrapped her loving arms around Cecil's waist, squeezing ever so lightly. He could feel her warm skin through his linens, and it almost enticed him to look away for just a moment. Yet his eyes never left the white light falling from the heavens, guiding him some place where he could find hope in peace.

"Feeling lonely again?" her words slipping so smoothly into his ears, chilled by the night. Though she knew how he felt on the outside at that very moment, he knew she couldn't possibly understand just what he truly felt on the inside.

"Remember when, from since we were little kids, we could sit out at night and watch two moons walk hand-in-hand across the sky?" Cecil spoke with a failing tone of sentiment, sounding more melancholy than anything. "Now it's but a lone heart, searching for its lost love."

"I do remember," she answered so tender and true, as though she could feel Cecil's spirit through his very skin. She squeezed a little tighter to her husband as she spoke. "But the moon never had a choice. Your love, my dear Cecil, is right here."

Cecil found he could keep his eyes no longer and turned to hold his lovely wife, her silken nightgown covering just enough for her to get away with. It was practically see through anyway, but Cecil had his eyes only on her beautiful face. Her hazel eyes were accented so clear in the moonlight, and he knew if there were such things as angels, he was holding one.

"Come on to bed." she urged her woebegone husband to follow her hand, slowly across the stone face of the balcony and through the gentle swaying curtains. Cecil took a final glance at the moon, and it cried for him, weeping for its lost love never to be found. It took everything he had not to share its tears, to keep from breaking down in the middle of his balcony and cry out to the heavens. Passing through the translucent drapes, Cecil found himself more alone than ever before, and it burned a heavy hole through him somewhere, someplace hidden that he could not find. It drove him insane and he nearly tore his hand away from his dear wife, just to be with the moon for a moment more. But upon setting his sorrowed eyes to her stunning visage, he felt somewhat healed, the hole sewn just enough to survive the night. The sheets were soft, and her skin was warm. The clouds rolled overhead and it began to rain.

...

The morning sun pierced savagely through cracks and curtains, drowning the considerable bedchamber in its radiant life. Yet the dreaming couple stayed in peaceful slumber, curled around each other as though they could find no other place to ever be. Even the erratic chirps of birds flying nearby could not rouse the dozing pair, as though the sheets would not let them free of their pleasant prison. What did happen to wake them was the sudden pounding of a strong fist against their chamber door.

Cecil's eyes rolled open, quite drowsy at first as the world slowly came into focus, his wife gently stirring beside him. He sat up as the door shook steadily against the hammering hand behind it. He was a bit annoyed at first, for he saw no reason for someone to want to tear down his door at this hour of the morning. But then he became quite curious, wondering just what reason there might be for such a wake-up call. He slid from under his sheets calmly, leaving Rosa still half-asleep while the thunder of bone on wood rattled throughout the room. She eventually opened her eyes to see her husband make his way to take a royal robe from the stand, mumbling something sarcastic as the man behind the door ceased to persist.

"What's the meaning of all this noise?!" Cecil yelled through the wooden door before he even reached it, hoping it would perhaps stop the incessant pounding that he could feel in his head. The knocking did stop, however, the room was now filled with such silence that Cecil feared he had gone deaf. He reached for the shimmering golden handle of his door, his thin reflection quite clear on its surface. He pulled just enough to give the messenger enough room to breathe the King's air, and Cecil's eye fell sharp upon the young man. "State your reason for this unearthly disturbance."

"I have a message for you, Your Majesty," the messenger spoke with a weak tongue, clearly about to wet his pants out of fear of His Majesty's wrath. His eyes spoke "frightened little boy" and Cecil heard the words quite well, and his eyes answered with "you should be".

"You wake me up like this for a message?" Cecil was close to fuming, but he didn't want to scare the young messenger off, for then he may never get this supposed important message. The frightened eyes took a moment to gain composure before answering the angry eyes.

"It's urgent, sir."

"From whom?"

"From Mysidia, Your Majesty," the words couldn't have hit Cecil's ears fast enough. His face suddenly was brighter than ever, and the door was opened wide for the young man to breathe his own air.

"Why did you not say so to begin with?!" Cecil exclaimed, half out of pure excitement, half out of some irritancy that he had been so rude to this messenger. Cecil reached his hand out quickly to retrieve the now officially important message. "Have you an idea of what it says?"

"No, Your Majesty. The note said it should be delivered directly to you with as much haste as possible."

"It must be their agreement with the treaty," Cecil spoke fast and more towards the message in his hands than to anyone else. The messenger still stood in the doorway, with a sly tilt of his body to perhaps get a glimpse of Rosa in her nighties. Cecil was quick to have his free hand on the door, nearly not even taking the time to warn the messenger before it slammed in his face.

"You are free to go, thank you." Cecil said quickly before the last crack of space between the room and the stairwell was closed off by a thick chunk of door. The ecstatic young King was quickly finding himself at the foot of his bed, Rosa finally sitting up to observe her husband's overwhelming joy. Cecil plumped his rump down on the forgiving feather mattress and began to tear at the binding, Rosa crawling across the bed to rest up against Cecil's soft robed back. She could feel his brisk and deep breaths as they nearly lulled her back to sleep. And then they stopped, the breathing, the softness of his robes, and all she could hear was his heart pounding inside of his ribs. She scaled the short mountain of his shoulders and wrapped an arm over his chest, resting her chin in the nook between his shoulder and neck. Cecil's hands were shaking, and the letter threatened to shred and fall from his sweaty fingers.

"What does it say?" she asked with a sleepy tone of concern. When he didn't answer her, she woke up a bit more and took a good look at his face. It was unusually pale, his eyes so wide that they could roll from their sockets at any moment and plop onto the floor. Not a breath escaped his open mouth, and for a moment she was genuinely frightened. "Cecil, what's wrong?!"

Cecil started to breathe again, slowly and hesitant, but his mouth was wavering with the moving air between his lips. Rosa calmed a bit, but still was somewhat worried about what could stun her husband in such a way. His eyes never ventured from the letter, but his mouth began to move, and his voice seeped out with a tone of utter shock.

"This letter...is from Mysidia..." he stuttered through thoughts that collided in mid-stride from his brain to his throat, and he couldn't help staring at this one word jumping at his eyes from the parchment. He read it over and over again, just the one word, and it paralyzed him inside. His voice came once more, with significant gaps in each phrase. "I must go immediately...today...I must leave for Mysidia today..."

"Cecil, what's going on?" Rosa pleaded for her husband to regain some of his sanity and answer her with a complete sentence. She held his shoulders tight and put her face next to his, and she could feel the cold sweat dripping from his skin. "Please, tell me."

"I have to go..." Cecil continued to pace his thoughts, never exactly sure where they would lead to next. He simply spoke what felt like coming out, and all the while this one word is burning his eyes, filling him with such a staggering shock. His throat was so dry that he felt as though it might bleed with the words he spoke. "It's about my..."

_...Mother..._


	2. A Fading Hope Weeping

A/N: This is a short lil chappie that's more filler than anything, but you know what? I'm adding a special character to this story. I didn't want Cecil to be alone in this soul searching venture. I think you'll agree with my choice of character here, because he's/she's just as lost as Cecil if not more. Enjoy this 4000 words of utter fluff! ****

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**Gnothi Se Auton**

_A Final Fantasy IV Story_

_by SpacemanSpiff_

_            A Fading Hope Weeping..._

            ...

            "Your what?!"

            Cecil was racing back and forth between his wardrobe and his trunk, filling it with anything and everything he could possibly get his hands on. Rosa was staring utterly baffled and wide eyed as her husband looked to be pushing the brink of insanity. She still had no earthly idea of what meaning was behind the letter, and no matter how hard she tried she could not break what psychological hold had its grasp on Cecil. His face was stone cold with scattered sparkles of rich sweat standing stagnant on his skin, unphased by his constant movement across his bedchamber. Though he could hear her voice, he was consumed by so many other thoughts that the words she spoke couldn't have possibly made any sense to him.

            "Cecil, can you please stop for a minute and just tell me what's going on?!" she was almost yelling at him as he paced quickly towards her, only to turn away just as swiftly and make his way back to grab whatever he could, as if her words had no chance of ever keeping up with him. As he made another pass towards the fashionably crafted crate, overflowing with clothes and personal effects, she tried once more to break his concentration. She reached out quickly, latching with a surprising strength to his arm, dragging him and his utmost reluctance back towards the bed next to her.

            "Rosa, please, let me go." he demanded with a soft spoken hint of dire urgency, giving her even more reason to pry into his mind and discover what secrets he was keeping. They stared for an eternity at each other, as though the conversation had continued in some other plane of existence, where words were written on faces, within ones eyes. She held his arm tight, though he made no attempts to break her restraint. He wouldn't hurt her even if he had to. He could only plead for his freedom, if not with his words then with his longing eyes, the depths of a fading hope weeping.

            "Just tell me," she answered so softly that he could swear her words were meant for his ears, forever shared between them and no other. Though as much as he wanted to tell her everything, he had to keep this one thing, the only thing that stood between them. It pained him to every extent to have her clutching so desperately to someone she should be able to trust, and he wouldn't stand to lose that. He could only hope she would truly trust him without ever knowing why, and he began to realize that his love was on the table. She might never know why he was leaving, though he would try with every fiber of his being to not let such a thing happen, and it was tearing at him more than she could see. Every lonely night he had spent was building up to this, what he was going to Mysidia to hopefully find...his lost soul.

            "Rosa, I..." as if the words were never meant to leave his mouth, they stopped before ever finishing the sentence. His eyes fell slowly, ashamed, to the ivory sheets swirled and wrapped around his lovely wife. He was so deeply sorrowed for everything he was doing, or what pain he was going to cause her for leaving like this, but tears never made it to his eyes, too cowardly to even show themselves. He had never really been called a coward before, but some part of him was yelling the word over and over again, and he felt like he was that dark knight two years ago who never could face up to the King. Those thoughts washed away rather quickly as Rosa's hand graced his chin, her thin, elegant fingers pressing lightly against his cheeks as she lifted his eyes back up to hers. She was smiling, a curveball of an emotion if Cecil ever saw one, and he couldn't help but smile back. He wondered if she understood what he was feeling, or if he was simply going insane.

            "Cecil, we've been through more trials and troubles in our lives together than some have in a lifetime," she consoled with her warm words, her warm touch, her warm smile, and most of all her warm heart. He couldn't help but feel her radiance when she was so close to him, and yet there were emotions trying desperately to push it back, to not let the wall break down just yet. "I can't see how this can be something so difficult for you to say. I love you, and I know you love me, and I have no doubt in my mind that--"

            "Do you trust me...?"

            Cue awkward silence...

            Rosa was stunned, lost in a maze where reason and sense are just behind the walls, just out of reach.  Had the words come from any other mouth she never would've been so surprised, but from her own husband; it was too much to bear. Cecil flinched when she finally came out of her petrified state and launched herself rigidly upright, a stare of animosity flowing from her eyes.

            "What?" her voice was so quiet, yet undeniably stern, her face unwavering as her lips quivered ever so slightly.

            "Do you trust me?" Cecil repeated, somewhat reluctantly, though keeping a small barrier of strength up to protect himself from her penetrating eyes. He waited patiently on the outside for her reply, though on the inside he felt as though she couldn't speak fast enough. Luckily the words came rather quickly from her ruby lips, and he thought of blood at the sight of them.

            "How can you ask me that?!" she returned with her own heated question, though she immediately felt wrong for lashing out in such a way. She held back her biting urge to be furious with her husband and simply answered him. "Of course I trust you."

            "Then please, my love, let me go." he never raised his voice in the least, showing his unremitting love for her and her compassion. He knew she could feel the wrong in his voice, and in his heart, and he could only beg for her forgiveness in this one indiscretion. "This is something I must do, and I must do alone. I'm sorry, and I love you, but I must go. Please, let me go."

            They sat there together, eyes speaking so fluidly through waves of emotions carried between them. It was a moment of time where everything seemed to fall into place, and things were set in stone for those few priceless seconds that every mind reached out for. His eyes couldn't possibly blink, for her face was too perfect, and her eyes would not stop whispering her affection. If he missed a word he would be lost, and the moment would be gone. His face never changed, but every inch of his soul was smiling so wide that it itched to burst from him. She understood.

           "Okay," she finally whispered through her ruby lips, and he thought of roses as she leaned in to kiss him. Warm roses, that's what he felt, and he could've lay there in her garden of flowers for eternity. But reality washed over him as she let him go, her lips falling from his, a bit melancholy. He was slightly startled to see a solemn tear hanging so lonely atop her cheek. Cecil reached out a gentle hand, and with a graceful stroke of his thumb the tear was gone. Rosa shut her beautiful eyes and held her hand over his, pressing it lightly against her flushed skin. "It's been so long since we've had something to separate us like this. But like every instance past, I know you'll come back. You always came back."

            "And I always will," Cecil could feel such an amazing response through her tender hand, and he felt as though a tear might make itself known in his own eyes. But he was so happy, and eternally grateful for her, to know she truly understood what he was trying to convey through his heavy beating heart. She opened her eyes, and she was met with his bright smile, to which she could only bear her own. "I could never leave you. I owe you too much."

            A playful slap against the arm was Cecil's reprimand for such a remark, but they continued to smile. Her lips turned a bit coy, and she slid slyly across the mattress, through the sheets and into her husband's lap.

            "You're right," she said in the most coquettish voice, and Cecil knew right away just what she was after, "You do owe me."

            ...

            She could've walked through these caves blind if need be, and sometimes she would close her eyes just to prove it to herself. She knew every inch of this terrain, and the guards had become so used to her little nightly strolls that they rarely moved at all to heed her footsteps. Of course they couldn't completely ignore her, for more often than not she would tease them, or sneak up on them just for fun. There was always an eye out for her, whether it be for their own backs, or just to make sure she would be alright. But they knew for a fact that she was more familiar with these dusky trails than they themselves, and more often than not she was the one looking after them. She was smart and plenty powerful, there was no doubt about that, but at the same time she was extremely vulnerable. Her journeys had given her a strong exterior, and a spirit that was unmatched, but they had also given her more woe than any one person should ever bear. Beneath that dense shell she portrayed on the outside she was the most delicate soul, more fragile than the heart that beat so strong in her chest.

            "May we assist you on your walk?" a guard asked as the wandering woman approached a cavern doorway, torches carrying cold, blue flames hung above casting her pale face in a heavenly light. She smiled as she stopped before the two arachnid creatures, sixteen legs in all holding up two strong bodies that could nearly pass for human figures. A frightening sight to any visitor to these parts, but in her eyes they were some of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen. She gave a short bow before the two guards and their long legs, greeting them with more respect than they usually received.

            "No, but thank you," the woman returned, still smiling somewhat joyfully, but perhaps not as lively as usual. The guards knew something was amiss, but neither had the courage to pry. "Tonight I must be alone. And don't worry...I'll come back."

            They often worried that she would leave them and never come back, for there were times that her walks above ground lasted far too long for their worrying minds. Although she was not born there, she was as close as family to their entire community, almost as if everyone had a hand in her upbringing. That's how she felt as well, and it was why she thought she would never leave. But then again, that was the problem she was after. She didn't really know what she was to do. She didn't truly know who she was.

            "As you wish, lady Rydia."

            The guards receded from the umbral passageway and allowed her through, watching with utmost care as Rydia walked by, her emerald hair cascading down her back; washing over her bare skin with each step she took. It blended well with the shimmering jade of her cope which fell gently over her shoulders and down her front side, coming together at the small of her back where the tranquil sea of her long-curled hair ended. She even had boots to match.

            "Please, be careful."

            Always looking after her, even if they knew she could more than handle any trouble that came her way. She still loved to hear them say it, for she knew there would always be someone who cared about her here, and it brought her back every time. And yet there was an undeniable fear that there would be a day that these feelings would pass, and she would indeed leave the underground. She knew that day was drawing near, for her sorrows were growing rapidly, and she longed for something to soothe them.

            As she passed through the last cavern she wondered if this was the last time she would see the summoned creatures in the village beneath her. Though the den was well lit by the magma flow just outside the cave door, she could see nothing but pitch black in the recesses of the heavy-webbed floor. But she could picture it quite well, and she knew her chocobo - the only creature she knew before she had ever reached this place - was standing at the very edge of town...watching and waiting. He often told her that he would watch over her on her ventures outside, and he would always be waiting for her upon her return, asking more questions than she could answer at once. A talkative creature, but then again most chocobos are. Rydia smiled and gave a small wave of her hand, assuring her closest friend that she had indeed made it out alright.

            She hopped over the last spot just before the cavern door, keenly aware that the particular recess in the floor harbored a deadly snare that incited ones good health to drop a bit. She giggled a bit when she remembered the first time she came here with Cecil and the others, and the mishap with that first step. Though Cecil was usually a man of great patience, foretold by his relationship with Rosa, the heat in the underground had made him a bit cranky. So of course he was in a bit of a rush to get inside when Rydia finally pointed out the cave. Being the natural leader that he is, he charged in first to ward off any monsters that may have been lying in wait...or at least that's what he had said. Everyone else knew he just wanted to get out of the god forsaken heat. Boy was he sore after that first step. It didn't help that his armor was a great conductor for the magical shock that ran up his right leg. If anything he was a bit hotter than he was before, and he was cursing the whole way through the caves. Luckily he had managed to compose himself upon reaching the village, although the creatures there, had they overheard him, may not have known all the words he spat.

            Those were the memories that she yearned for, to be able to share all those feelings she once had with her friends living in the upper world. Though she could share her happiness, her sadness, and everything in-between with all of the creatures down below, they could never quite grasp just how human emotions flowed. It wasn't their fault, and she knew that, but it built up over time and she craved another human being to share her cross.

            The magma current was especially strong at that particular hour, and Rydia wondered if she would see the Dwarfs trying another prototype vessel that would sustain the tremendous heat. She had seen a few ships, undwarfed, sailing down the magma flow for a good while, only to suddenly burst into flames and sink. Fortunately they had plenty of metal to deal with, as all their tanks had been completely scrapped after the war. Cecil had tried many times to help them build an airship, which would keep them from dealing with the magma altogether, but they refused. Dwarfs are, naturally, afraid of heights.

            She waited a moment longer, just in case she might catch a glimpse of a gleaming iron ship charging down the way. She figured they had either already failed today, or had given up altogether which would've been the smarter choice. Knowing that, she opted for the former. It's not that the Dwarfs were unintelligent in any way, but more like they were just overzealous and extremely persistent in their pursuits. And they had plenty of metal to waste, so it wasn't really all that bad of an idea to pursue.

            Rydia turned from the thick, golden ocean and made her way around the cave entrance to a small path that led to the top of the lilliputian mountain, the only visible sign that anything actually existed on the island. She had made the path herself after the war, of course with a little help from her friend, the Titan. She started frequenting this trail not long after returning from Cecil's wedding to the fair lady Rosa. It was so peaceful up there, watching over the great glowing emulsion that consumed most of the underground, the tower of Bab-il standing like spears piercing the skin of the upper world to the far north which always brought back a memory or two. The great opening, or the junction as it was now called, was just a short ways west of Bab-il, and a fresh morning sun was coming in at a sharp angle, creating a toppling tower of light against the haze of the underground. Rydia soon realized that she had seen neither the sun nor the moon in over a year. It was a strange feeling, but she actually missed them.

            As her footsteps followed old footprints past, she found her troubles already falling behind, left at the bottom of the red rock. Her robes seemed to radiate an even more heavenly green above the magma's brilliant light, and her hair was but a lovely curtain hanging behind her. Such peace and serenity was hard to find anywhere else, and she wondered why this was the only place she could leave her tears to melt the ground. She hadn't even reached the top before she began to weep; though once she made it there it didn't take long for her eyes to drown in her emotions left far and away.

            She sat upon a small smoothed stone, crafted by the Titan himself for her lonely joy. He always enjoyed making her happy any way he could, and he would often make bad jokes that never really made any sense, but she would laugh anyways. She remembered when they finished the trail he had said, _"Now Rydia, a rolling moss gathers big stones, so don't you go rolling down this mountain anytime soon."_ She couldn't help but laugh, even if it was the worst joke she had ever heard. He was trying so hard that she would've felt bad not to, but at the same time it was just amusing to see a being such as he attempting to use a human colloquialism. But as humorous of a memory as that was, it somehow didn't compare to the memories she felt before, when she was with the two people she loved the most: Cecil and Rosa.

            _Why am I not happy...?_ she cried with her thoughts, her face now falling into her hands, drying the tears that spilled from her eyes. She couldn't stop them if she wanted to, but it felt as though it was helping, falling droplets from her cheek, taking her misery down the trodden path. But she would never be rid of it all, unable to leave every bit of her pain on this peak, for even if she did it would just be waiting for her return. _There must be a way to leave my mournful soul._

            As she sat upon that rock, wondering what her life was meant to be, she felt so incredibly lost. Beneath her was a place she had called home for so many years, and never once had she ever felt like this before while she was down there. But out here it was like tearing down a curtain and revealing all the pain that was hiding behind it, all the grief that would suddenly jump out and latch onto her heart. She wondered if it was a sign, and if it was she certainly wondered just what it meant. It wasn't any one thing that she could possibly describe to herself, and she had tried on so many occasions, only to come up with more tears to hold in her trembling hands. As much as it hurt, it felt so good to simply let it go, to have the emotions drain through her eyes and vanish there on the rocks. But she knew she couldn't continue like this, and it was getting progressively worse each and every time she would ascend her mountain. Something was missing, she suddenly came to realize, and she knew she would not find it here. She would not find it in the tears she shed, nor in the beings she called her family, and there was only one other thing she could do. A breeze came in from the upper world as a welcoming hand to take away her tears, and she was grateful.

            "I have to leave..." she spoke solemnly to the wind as its graceful draft wisped by, closing her sodden eyes as she lifted her face into its peaceful path...

            ...

            ...taking the last tear to descend his cheek off into the morning air, his face bathed in the sun's everlasting warmth, and the clouds stirred in his wake. The airships were just then sailing over Baron's coast, and Cecil stood like a flagship statue carved into the front of the bow. He watched the last bit of land disappear beneath him, melting into a rich blue, and he realized all that he was leaving behind for this; his solitary hope that perhaps he could finally make sense of his life, that this one person would give him all the answers. He couldn't wait to see his mother.


	3. For Those Lost and For Those Found

> A/N: Well, it took me a bit longer than expected but there's a lot of ground covered in this one. It's good to see some new readers out there that actually cruise the Final Fantasy section. I'm going to go ahead and thank those who have reviewed, cuz you guys honestly rock, and I probably wouldn't still be writing without someone on my case after every chapter. So thanks: Doc, Titania, Brutal, Jintachi, and Aoi Takara. When I finally finish this thing I'll be sure to give you guys (and ladies ;) your proper respects, but for now just sit back and enjoy this next chappie. It's a good one (i think :P)
> 
> * * *
>
>> **Gnothi Se Auton**
>> 
>> _A Final Fantasy IV Story_
>> 
>> _by SpacemanSpiff_
>> 
>> _For Those Lost_
>> 
>> _ and For Those Found_
>> 
>> ...
>> 
>> _Blessed be the angel _
>> 
>> _ that has fallen from her path, _
>> 
>> _ for it is the will of her fate, _
>> 
>> _ her destiny that beckons _
>> 
>> _ through the night..._
>> 
>> Rydia stepped with utmost care through the sacred portal, hidden deep in the bowels of the library. As quietly, and as cautiously as she walked, she still felt as though she was disrupting a world of peace, as though her aura was shattering a holy tranquility. As soon as her foot touched the hallowed floor of the Royal Chamber she wanted to turn around and go back, pretend like the thought had never even crossed her mind. She sank a bit into the soft webbing beneath her as her mind continued to race over whether or not she should have come, but she was startled to find that she had been expected.
>> 
>> "Rydia, my dear child, I was beginning to worry that you would not make it," the softest voice she had ever heard filled her ears, and a being of everlasting light fell slowly from above. Rydia's bright green eyes sparkled in her beauty, and she couldn't help but smile. The elegant Queen Asura set her graceful foot upon the floor, and took a step towards the bedazzled girl before her, a hand extended with her warmest welcome. "Come, child."
>> 
>> Asura was the perfect embodiment of a woman, with her flowing satin robes, the face of an angel, and hair that fell like a delicate golden rain over her shoulders. It didn't matter that underneath it all she was simply another underworld creature, a being that was anything but human. The Queen knew that Rydia preferred her human form, for it was how she had first come to see her when she woke up in this alien land. It always brought some sort of comfort to the green-haired angel, and if there was ever a time that she needed it, it was now.
>> 
>> "How did you--?"
>> 
>> "Shh," the hush rushed from the Queen's silky lips, and Rydia dared not break whatever silence she requested. Asura's hand beckoned the girl's company once more as she spoke, "We will talk. There are questions and answers awaiting us both."
>> 
>> Rydia had no choice, for the siren had lured this mind to its whim. Her pale, tender hand fell into that of the Queen, and she was led down the wide corridor with a gentle guidance; her feet lifted ever so slightly that it felt as though she was floating beside her Queen. Rydia finally took the chance to glance around the darken path, and she wondered why they had no torches lit for them to see. It stole her breath away for a brief moment as the first two torches ignited on the walls where they once stood, following their slow trot down the way, always staying one step behind. Slowly but surely, as the Queen and her earth-born child entered the cavernous throne room, the entire area was bathed in a comfortable glow. Rydia felt like she was at home, or maybe she felt like she wanted to be at home.
>> 
>> _...and her heart yearns_
>> 
>> _ for that place it calls home,_
>> 
>> _ fight it not her clouded mind,_
>> 
>> _ for her heart is stronger_
>> 
>> _ than any other..._
>> 
>> Rydia thought she could hear the still flow of muffled whispers, and she looked to her Queen in hopes for an answer. But Asura simply smiled and led her further into the chamber, saving some sense of dismay behind her porcelain face. As they finally came to a leisurely stop, Rydia turned her eyes forward to see the royal thrones before her, polished into perfect gold, mirroring the heavenly essence of life that filled the room. There upon the King's throne sat none other than King Leviathan himself, and in his human form no less. He was motionless as he rested in the embrace of his gilded companion, eyes strangely closed, as though he were actually taking a nap there in front of them. But Rydia noticed, as his head tilted back to rest upon the rachis of his throne, that his lips were moving smoothly to some unheard rhythm that only he could feel. He was chanting to those above, perhaps the God Bahamut herself, but Rydia still found it so unusual, for she had never seen him do anything like this before.
>> 
>> "For whom does he pray?" Rydia almost didn't get to finish the question as she realized Asura was no longer at her side, but was moving towards her respective throne beside the King. The Queen did stop, however, as she heard the faint voice following desperately after her. As serene as the sunrise the Queen turned with the brightest smile, filling Rydia's eyes with more light than any torch could burn. But she felt as though she knew the answer before the words ever reached across the space between.
>> 
>> "For you."
>> 
>> Even though she somehow knew those words were coming, it still left her completely awe struck. Her eyes burned of dryness for she forgot to blink, and a few tears wet them down for her, though these tears would never touch the ground; she wouldn't let them. Coming out of her state of shock, she closed her gaping mouth also dry from the warm air, glancing back and forth between the two beings she had come to call her mother and father. Asura glided delicately up to her beautiful throne, making her self quite comfortable in its gentle hands. The King finally opened his eyes, and his old and withered face did its best to seem happy. Rydia could barely make out a smile through the shimmering silver beard that washed over his lips, a gleaming curtain that trailed down his vestments of an overflowing ocean blue. But his eyes seemed quite heavy with something he had been worried of for some time, and she could see it reaching out for her. She couldn't help but see through them, and she realized why they had been expecting her. They knew.
>> 
>> "Rydia, it's always a pleasure to have your presence here with us," Leviathan spoke gruffly through his beard, yet still seemingly feeble in some way. He wasn't prepared for what he had to say at all, and Rydia could tell, but she couldn't possibly blame him. It was so out of the blue that she had come to decide this. With a deep breath, the King went on, "Though it seems that you may have something you wish to tell us. Do not worry, child, for though we may not fully understand, we shall nurture your will."
>> 
>> "Most gracious, Your Majesty." Rydia curtseyed before him, taking her time as she piled together what she thought could manage as a good explanation. Upon her eyes falling into Leviathan's apprehensive stare, the pile was scattered again, and she had to piece her story together as she spoke, "I have come here for less a reason than to say 'hello'...but more to profess a formal 'goodbye'."
>> 
>> "Goodbye?" the Queen softly startled, causing Rydia to wonder if she knew what the King was hiding behind his sorrowed eyes. The look on Asura's face, that pale look of innocence dashed was more than enough to let on that Leviathan had not yet warned her of his premonitions. "Where are you going, my dear?"
>> 
>> Rydia turned her head to the floor for a moment, feeling so wretched under their sad, inquiring eyes. She didn't want to desert them, to leave them stranded here in the underworld without her, and if anything she would want them to go with her. Before she knew it she was fighting back the tears, though she did not have to fight hard, for they would never fall from her eyes in this place. That's the only way she knew that she had to go on, as heart-wrenching as it may be. She pulled her face with all the will she could summon and met the gaze of her underworld parents once again. But now the Queen did not seem so frightened through her eyes, and the King had his hand entwined with hers, guiding her to understanding. His knowledgeable visage was enough to settle Rydia's troubled conscience, though his words cleared every shadow of doubt.
>> 
>> "Though I lament, I feel a sense of assurance in your decision," he spoke raspy but warm, and Rydia was beginning to feel a little better as he went on, "I have foreseen this since the day you began your new life here, but I cannot foresee the reason. I can only ask why."
>> 
>> "I...have to find something," was all that Rydia could muster up from the traffic jam of answers cluttered in her head. Though she wasn't even sure what she was looking for, she knew what she had felt, and it was all she needed. "I lost something two years ago...and I've been losing it a bit more every day since then. I fear that if I don't find it...my soul may never be happy."
>> 
>> "My dear Rydia. What is it that you have lost?" Asura asked somewhat hesitantly, as if she was afraid of the answer, though she masked it with overbearing concern. "Are you sure it is not something you can recover here?"
>> 
>> "I wish I could say yes," Rydia began mournfully, seeing Asura's woe grow with every word, "But I've tried searching here, and unless I leave I will never truly know what I'm looking for. I have to know where I belong..."
>> 
>> There was a moment of serene silence as Rydia trailed off in a thought, and her eyes met the floor, wondering for a brief moment if this was what she had come here to say. Asura clutched her King's hand tight as she gazed anxiously at the summoner girl, hoping for something that possibly was never there. Leviathan only wanted to understand, to somehow grasp this emotion that Rydia had flowing through her veins, though a part of him wished this day had never come. As Rydia's eyes once more met the forlorn faces of those before her, she could only say what was in her heart.
>> 
>> "I have to find my true home."
>> 
>> There was an uncomfortable shiftiness on Asura's part, for that one thing she was hoping for had now been lost, and Rydia could see it in her soft-glowing white eyes. Rydia couldn't help but think that she had made those eyes just a little darker this day, though Leviathan still had yet to find the dark in this situation. He leaned forward a bit to get a deeper look into those evergreen stars that lit up so bright in Rydia's eyes, trying to find some hint of what Rydia felt. He could only fathom that her words flowed from some higher power than that of human logic.
>> 
>> "Is this place no longer your home, Rydia?" the King asked kindly, though a bit more soft-spoken. It was his natural misunderstanding of the human emotion that had him so lost, and yet he only wanted to know what drive welled within her. He had always envied her sense of feeling, from the depths of one's heart, for he had never experienced anything such as loneliness.
>> 
>> "I don't know anymore. As much as I regret having to leave you, I have to answer my heart." Rydia felt as though her soul was pouring out of her, "And it's telling me that I must go."
>> 
>> "Are you sure we cannot help you?" Asura pleaded, "At least let us try."
>> 
>> "Please, Asura, she knows more of this than we ever could. We must let her go. We would only get in the way." Leviathan calmed his overwhelmed Queen, seeing that she had yet to grasp the situation their summoner child was in, though his grip was not much better. His hand held tight to hers, assuring her that he knew what had to be done. He turned his eyes back to the jade angel before him, her face looking more astray with each passing moment. He couldn't bear to see her this way, and he knew he had no way of stopping the human heart. He could only pray for her, as he had done ever since she climbed that mountain for the first time. She had never been the same since then, losing a little bit of her cheerful soul each day. "Rydia, I could never fully understand how you feel, but I know that the human heart is stronger than any force, even the will of the Gods. I can only give you my best wishes on your journey, and may Bahamut watch over you, where ever you may go."
>> 
>> "I...I don't know how to thank you," Rydia was a bit choked up; for she realized that this was it, her last goodbye before she left. It began to dawn on her that she may never see them again, be it that her soul is found in a new home. That swell of angst was deep in her throat, and she pushed hard to express her gratitude. "If I find that my home is not in this place, then I want you to know...I want everybody to know...that I love you all more than I could've ever imagined."
>> 
>> "Come what may, dear Rydia, we will always hold you close here, and you always have the privilege to call upon us." Asura responded as she began to come around, making that shade of white in her eyes a little brighter. The Queen finally realized that no persuasion could turn this green-haired scion of the summoners away from her decision.
>> 
>> "Now go, child," Leviathan offered with a lighter tone of sorrow in his eyes, and his smile much more evident in his silver beard. "Your journey and your soul await."
>> 
>> "Thank you..." she said softly, barely able to hold back what emotions were trying to break out of her, "...so much."
>> 
>> Rydia gave a slow and graceful curtsey before the King and Queen, each one now smiling a mixture of compassion and concern. She closed her eyes as her face felt as though it was about to hit the ground, her hair raining down over her cheeks, and she couldn't even feel the tear squeeze itself from the corner of her eye. Lifting her body upright, opening her eyes to the embodiments of everlasting light and peace in their grace, she wished for a moment that she could find her home here, with these loving creatures. But she turned, nevertheless, and she still could not feel the tear as it descended her lonely cheek, dripping from its steep cliff and landing peacefully on the throne room floor.
>> 
>> _...and though she may cry,_
>> 
>> _ leave not those tears before her,_
>> 
>> _ but instead behind her,_
>> 
>> _ so that she may soon find_
>> 
>> _ the truth..._
>> 
>> ...
>> 
>> _The truth that he may_
>> 
>> _ or may not want to hear, _
>> 
>> _ for it is his choice, _
>> 
>> _ and his choice alone _
>> 
>> _ to take that truth _
>> 
>> _ into his life, _
>> 
>> _ to find his lost soul..._
>> 
>> "Cecil, welcome back!"
>> 
>> Cecil's elegant cape washed over his shoulder as he took the last step from the rope ladder, turning to face the young heralds behind him. It was strange, but he still felt a pang of some echoing discomfort as he descended from his airship, much like he had felt long ago when the shadow of death seemed to follow him everywhere. If it weren't for the blinding sun bouncing radiantly from his ivory armor he would've sworn he was a dark knight again, coming to steal their precious crystal.
>> 
>> Cecil managed to catch himself from his daydream as the two young mages hurried to wrap their arms around his legs. Cecil's brooding manner became a warm joy as he bent down to hug the twins that had once saved his very life. Even if the entire town of Mysidia hated his guts, he could be happy here knowing that these two cared about him. Fortunately the entire town did not hate his guts, but there was the occasional mage or two that simply would not let the past go. But these two knew him well, possibly better than he himself.
>> 
>> "Palom. Porom. It's been ages, look at you two," Cecil let them go so he could get a good look at the twins, a virtual mirror placed between them showing identical smiles placed on identical faces. Even though they had grown a few years since he last saw them, they still had every bit of that warm innocence in their faces...or at least Porom still had it. The one thing that had thrown him off at first was their clothing, now each one wearing their respective mage order robes. "You've grown so much since I last saw you, and I could hardly recognize you in your new attire."
>> 
>> "You like the new duds?" Palom tugged a bit on the sleeves of his deep blue cloak, fixing it up so that he would look real nice for the ladies. Porom just rolled her eyes as she tried her best to disregard her unmannerly sibling.
>> 
>> "I'm sure you remember how to ignore him, Cecil," Porom spoke with that same tone of wisdom that contrasted so sharply with her brother. Cecil always felt that if they didn't look alike then no one would ever know they were related. Though it had only been two years since he last saw her, she looked as though she had grown at least four. She was a full foot taller than he remembered, and she was actually taller than Palom, which surely didn't make him happy at all. But past the physical plane, he could see that she had grown far more intelligent than any child should ever be at her age. Hell, she was only ten years old and she was already training in the higher level magic classes with the old geezer wizards. It brought a smile to Cecil's face to see something as special as these two children, Porom beaming in her white robes, gushing with purity, and Palom...picking his nose. Cecil held in the urge to laugh as the black mage quickly realized he was being stared at on his gold digging venture, taking the finger quickly from his nostril and hiding it behind his back.
>> 
>> "What? What are you two lookin' at?!" Palom tried to play it cool, looking rather peeved that he had been caught. Cecil and Porom rolled their eyes with a sigh as the Paladin King picked himself up to stand with the two Red Wing guards that had descended from the airship and were now approaching behind him. Palom took his usual initiative to speak candidly. "Hey, who are these chumps?"
>> 
>> "Hush, you!" Porom did what she did best, and with a hand to the back of her brother's head he was silent. Palom mumbled a soft "ow" as he rubbed the tender skin, realizing he had just put in his hair the very same finger that had recently been on a very successful gold hunt. He just gave up and stayed quiet, too aggravated to even think of something to say.
>> 
>> "I was hoping to see the Elder once I arrived," Cecil said as he glanced around the peaceful village, a bustling community that he was strangely happy to see still so full of life. He hated to think that things could've been different had those who had controlled Baron not been stopped, if he had not seen first-hand the pain that these people had endured. He flushed away those stressful memories before they brought any distasteful looks upon his face, and he once more laid a warm smile on the twins. "Is the Elder here?"
>> 
>> "He is, but he's been in the tower praying most of the day," Palom answered a bit too nonchalant, even for him. Cecil found it strange that the Elder would spend the better part of a day in the tower of prayers, but the children didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. If it meant less work for them then they were happy with it.
>> 
>> "What need does he have to pray for so long?" Cecil questioned as he directed his eyes to the sand-brick spire that climbed like an earthen hand from the center of Mysidia. It was a structure like no other, creating a unique sight to see for any traveler. Cecil still marveled at its craft, finding beauty in its simplicity. He imagined the Elder kneeling before a column of light, praying to whatever God was up there to listen, and sometimes they answered. Even Cecil had heard voices the one time he was allowed to enter the sacred chamber, when the Big Whale was summoned from the seas before them. It was the same voice that the Elder himself had heard, the voice of his alien bloodline reaching for him. He wondered if something serious was happening that he should know about, and if there was anything he could do about it. "Is there something I should know?"
>> 
>> "He's praying for you, Cecil."
>> 
>> Eyes wide and white, Cecil stared blankly at Porom as her words struck him like a silence stick. Though his mouth hung open a bit, there were no words that could find their way out of it. Even the twins' faces were a bit graver than they were a mere moment ago. The silence lasted for no more than a second, but in its brevity it had already shattered Cecil's ears, and her words seemed so quiet then.
>> 
>> "He was expecting you earlier this morning, and when you didn't show up he told us to wait for you," Porom continued, though Cecil seemed as though he was not entirely within himself to hear her, "He said he was going to pray that everything was alright."
>> 
>> "Earlier this morning?" Cecil's mind was working a bit slow at the moment and he hadn't even comprehended the last part of what she said before he found himself speaking. "I left as soon as I received the message. I couldn't have gotten here any faster."
>> 
>> "We figured you would've taken the Devil Road," Palom spoke up, a bit curious himself why Cecil had taken all day to fly across the ocean. The confusion on the Paladin's face was strangely alarming to both of the twins, and it was as if each of them were speaking completely different languages.
>> 
>> "The Devil Road?" Cecil startled a bit, wondering if perhaps Palom was joking with him. The look on the little mage's face seemed to lean away from such a jesting manner, and Cecil couldn't possibly understand what was going on, for the Devil Road had been sealed since the Crystal War. "But how could I--"
>> 
>> "Ah, Cecil!" the jovial voice of the Elder bounded across the grassy field, hooking Cecil's eyes with a sharp turn. The old man hadn't changed very much, though the evidence of age was beginning to show in the roots of his hair. Walking between the two children, he reached out a welcoming hand to the King, and a smile that Cecil almost found deceiving after what he just heard. "I'm happy to find you've safely arrived. Unfortunately we don't have much time to talk now. Your mother may not be at her senses much longer and it is imperative that you see her now."
>> 
>> "My mother..." Cecil had nearly forgotten the very reason he had come here, so deeply lost in his developing political mind. Issues such as the Devil Road would have to wait, for this was his relief from such duties and nothing was more important that his own family, something he had never since been able to embrace. But the Elder's words were coming to him faster now, and he was now wary of his mother's condition. "What's wrong with her?"
>> 
>> "There was more than what was in the message we sent to you," the Elder laid a tender-hearted hand on Cecil's shoulder, and the Paladin could tell from the look of those eyes that what he would not like what he was about to hear. "But now is not the time to discuss. We must hurry."
>> 
>> "Then please, take me to her," Cecil urged, as worried as he was of what ailment had found his mother, he only wanted to see her more than anything.
>> 
>> "Of course. Palom. Porom. Please assist Cecil's guests where ever they may need." The Elder ordered, neither twin looking too enthusiastic about their new babysitting job. "Cecil, please follow me."
>> 
>> The two gentlemen left in a rush, heading for a small hut at the other end of the village. Palom and Porom watched as they disappeared into the afternoon crowd, swarming the market streets. Reluctantly, they then turned to face their guests: two stone cold guards decked out in boiling bronze armor, looking rather comatose with their arms folded at their chests. The twins looked at each other with daring eyes, seeing which would have the nerve to speak up first. Naturally, Palom was the first to gather up enough sense to speak, although the words that came from his mouth would say otherwise.
>> 
>> "So, uh...how's the weather in Baron?"
>> 
>> ...
>> 
>> Her hand was shaking as it reached into the small closet of her room, taking hold of things she didn't even know if she would need. The whole reality of her decision was slowly falling upon her, and as she picked a jade dress from the rack she held it there before her eyes. She stared at it, observed it, looked through it, into the depths of its fibers and in it she saw herself glaring back at her in dismay. She dropped the dress, backing away from its crumpled mess on the floor where it mocked her a bit more. She turned away and found her hand in her face, hiding her eyes from the world around her, keeping her safe for the moment being. She was lost, as it had long since dawned on her, and it was beginning to tear at her. As she looked into the darkness of the palm of her hand, she saw the faces of those she was leaving behind, wondering why one of their own was going away.
>> 
>> _But I'm not one of them..._
>> 
>> It sounded so cold the way the words crept across her mind, and it only made her feel worse. Some of these creatures here truly believed she was just one of the family, although a very unique one, a creature unlike any other. In some ways Rydia actually started believing it herself, although in light of recent events she could not bring back such notions. She was a wreck as it was, and dwelling on such a concept would not help her on her way.
>> 
>> "Wark!"
>> 
>> Rydia jumped as her hand shot down to her side, her eyes staring wide at the door of the small room. She knew exactly who was patiently waiting behind it, though she could not bear to have to explain to him what was happening. She walked over to the bed where her travel sack lay peacefully, wrapping the tie around it to keep the contents concealed. She shot a nervous glance at the door as she closed the baggage, trying her best to think of just what she was to say. The words weren't coming as easily as she would've liked, but she couldn't keep him waiting much longer.
>> 
>> "Wark!"
>> 
>> She finally remembered to breathe, and with a deep inhale of the sweet air, she felt much more relaxed. Her footsteps echoed a bit throughout the room, mostly empty aside from the bed and the closet, as she reached for the wooden handle of her door. The curtains fell over her eyes once more before she gave a graceful tug of the knob. With a slow creak of the old hinges, Rydia opened her eyes to the ruffled mess of yellow feathers pacing excitedly outside her door. When the chocobo saw her through the doorway, it bolted past her into the room, leaving a small trail of feathers behind. She knew she was going to have to clean those up before she left, and she actually found herself laughing it off.
>> 
>> "Hey, Chobi. Excited to see me?" Rydia asked as she closed the door, turning to her yellow-feathered friend. He was currently jumping on her bed, something he often was scolded for, though Rydia was more worried of the bag he was about to topple over. "Be careful, Chobi, you know what happened to you the last time you jumped on my bed. It took you a week before you could start running again."
>> 
>> "Wark!"
>> 
>> Rydia casually walked over and picked up the sack from under the chocobo's monstrous feet, placing it in a safe corner. As she turned back around she nearly jumped out of her skin as she came nose to nose with Chobi's considerable orange beak. He stared like a statue, and Rydia put a smile over her incredibly nervous eyes.
>> 
>> "Don't sneak up on me like that," Rydia softly told the creature as she stepped out of the corner, away from those glaring eyes. "You know better than that."
>> 
>> "Wark!"
>> 
>> Rydia stopped half-way across the room as the creature's call struck her down; the overgrown bird had already noticed more than she wanted. She didn't want to turn around just yet, for if she had to look into those eyes again, those eyes that she had seen through Asura and Leviathan, she worried she might never make it past her front door.
>> 
>> "I know I was gone too long last night. I'm sorry, Chobi." Rydia confessed to the bird behind her, wondering just what was going through his mind, be it curiosity, or perhaps fear of what she would say next. Stalling wouldn't help, however, and she was going to have to explain everything here and now. "I had a lot to think about, and I went to speak with Queen Asura and King Leviathan."
>> 
>> "wark..."
>> 
>> Something was different in his tone now, some noticeable change in his feelings that Rydia could sense more keenly than her own. She wanted to face him, but she didn't know if she was ready to give it all away just yet. That all changed as she felt the silky smooth touch of chocobo feathers nestling against her shoulder, and his beak was resting against her cheek. Though her tears welled up against the dam of her eyes, she remained adamant to letting them fall. But now she could not keep her back against her friend, for now was the time to give up the truth, as hard as it was going to be.
>> 
>> The feathers brushed over her back as she slowly came around to face the endlessly forgiving eyes, the most innocent soul she could imagine. She reached a hand up to stroke his beak, and his eyes disappeared beneath his feathered skin, lowering his head so she could scratch behind his ears. She smiled so sad as he began to purr, the feathers of his neck standing on end like a lion's mane. Nothing had ever been as hard as this, and she felt it like a vise, crushing her spirit in all of this anguish. Though her voice was growing frail, she continued to scratch so that he might not have to watch her cry.
>> 
>> "Chobi, I have to go somewhere. Somewhere far from here," she pushed hard on that lump that stood stagnant in her throat, and the tears were already beginning to fall down her delicate face. "And I might not be coming back for..." she stopped as his bashful black eyes finally opened into hers, stealing her breath for a moment. She could see her words hitting him harder than she had expected. "...for a long time. I..."
>> 
>> "wark?"
>> 
>> "Of course I'm not leaving for good," she hated to lie, but it was the only thing she could possibly think of to keep his feelings from shattering at her feet. But she really didn't know herself whether or not it was truly a lie, for her soul could be anywhere. "I have friends just like you in the upper world who miss me, and...I have other things to take care of."
>> 
>> Rydia had to avert her eyes, for the pitiful look of despair on that chocobo's face was ever so rueful. She shut her eyes tight, to squeeze those painful tears to the floor where they would forever rest. She couldn't think of another thing to say, for anything else she feared would rip the poor creature's heart out and leave it on the ground to die. But the words never had to come; for she found the very spirit she was trying to protect trying to comfort her. The gentle beak slid down under her chin, graciously lifting her head up out of its woeful hollow. Their eyes met for only a second before Rydia burst into tears, wrapping her arms around the fine feathered neck, holding so tight to her childhood friend. Her tears left beaded sparkles rolling down his feathers as she washed her fear, her troubles, and her sorrow away into the desolate air.
>> 
>> "I'm sorry, Chobi." she cried her dearly sorrowed confession through his golden tufts, hoping her words would hold in his heart. "I have to go."
>> 
>> As much as it hurt to leave his spirit so hopelessly lost like this, she had to leave before she was unable to go on. She quickly dropped her arms from the chocobo's neck before skittering errantly to the corner, eyes blurred from the sea of tears that washed abounding. She snatched the travel sack without hesitation and ran past the broken-hearted creature standing motionless in the middle of her room. She burst through the door without ever looking back, leaving a trail of tear-stained feathers in her wake, along with the one soul that cared for her more than any other. Chobi simply watched as Rydia left him there, standing in miserable awe, and he wondered if he would ever see her again.
>> 
>> ..._wark_...
>> 
>> ...
>> 
>> It was dark inside, maybe only a few candles lit around the corners of the small room. As the curtain spread apart by the Elder's hand, Cecil stepped through into his greatest dream and his worst nightmare at the same time. Several men and women draped in white were standing around the bed at the moment, and Cecil could not yet see who lay there. As the Elder came in behind him there was a sudden air of attention, and the healers turned to face their Elder. Cecil had the look of a child witnessing something for the first time, though his attention was completely upon the bed before him. The Elder's hand gestured him forward as the wizards dispersed, allowing the Paladin to approach the elderly woman lying there upon the unusually ornate cot.
>> 
>> "The adornment on this bed is meant to protect those who sleep within it." The Elder informed the astonished man creeping gently towards his mother. Cecil wasn't even listening, for the sight of a mother he had never seen in his entire life was simply too much to handle along with the Elder's words. Still he continued, "So it goes with the quilts beneath her. Here she can rest in peace, within as well as without."
>> 
>> Now at the foot of the bed, Cecil stood over her soft glowing body, wrapped in colorful quilts, her face surprisingly peaceful. He could only imagine that she must be happy, whether or not she knew she would wake up the next morning. He quietly made his way around to her side, kneeling down beside her, taking her tender hand in his, guiding her to his heart. He would've given it to her if he knew how, to somehow take his life and share it with her for only a moment. He cupped his hands around hers, feeding her his warmth, though her hand seemed surprisingly warm already. She was still alive, which brought a tear of joy from his eyes already moistened from the first sight of her.
>> 
>> "Mother..." he whispered to her lonely ear, sitting lonely on the pillow, her withered face showing an enlightened spirit beneath the skin, and her lips, turned to a affable smile that reminded him of his own. The more he looked, the more he could see himself in her delicate visage, though one thing that stood out was her hair. The color of a strained emerald, faded with her overlapping grey locks, giving off the shade a ghostly pale green. _I guess I got my hair from my father,_ Cecil thought waggishly as he glanced at a strand of pale silver hanging down over his forehead.
>> 
>> A quiet gasp yanked at Cecil's attention, his eyes focused on his mother's face as it seemed to strain for something it could not find. Cecil held tight to her hand, clutching it to his heart until she finally relaxed and found her peace once more. Cecil's eyes never blinked for fear he would miss something, and he felt like he had discovered what he had always been looking for. He couldn't explain what he felt at that moment, for there were too many emotions running through his mind, and he wouldn't know where to start. He noticed a shadow cross his mother's face as the Elder stepped across a candle flame, standing on the opposite side of the bed.
>> 
>> He did not speak, he just watched. He watched Cecil hold on so dearly to his mother, and he felt so strange seeing this man evolve so much emotionally. Two years ago he would've liked to strangle this man before him, but now he could only share a feeling of sorrow with him. Such feelings he could never share with people of his own village, and yet he was so open here with this man once so foreign. He could see every bit of pain and woe seeping through Cecil's eyes as he turned his head, his boundless blue eyes striking him with such angst.
>> 
>> "Is she...?" Cecil couldn't even finish the sentence, afraid of what it might bring if he did. The look on the Elder's face was enough of an answer, but he spoke just the same.
>> 
>> "Yes, Cecil. She is dying."
>> 
>> It shattered his already weak heart to hear it, though he only could have guessed it by how somber this scene looked. He turned his eyes, flooded with sadness, back to his mother's beautiful face, praying that she may wake up and see her son just once before she left this world. He lifted his hand to her cheek, running his fingers gracefully across her skin, weaving into her thinning hair. It left a strange glow about her as he did so, though he was the only one not to notice. The others stared in a bit of awe as they watched him draw a river of light around her features, glittering in her hair. With his other hand he held hers to his lips, leaving a loving kiss for her to hold on to, and as he did the glow he left upon her face seemed to crawl down to her shoulder and up her arm to her hand. Once that pale white light reached his lips it disappeared, leaving with his touch as he continued to watch over her.
>> 
>> "She has moments when she comes to, and she'll swear she feels fine," the Elder told the forlorn son by his mother's side. Cecil turned his sorrowed eyes in apparent attention towards the Elder as he spoke. "It's a degenerative effect of her age, yet we believe it has connections to your father and his Lunarian heritage. As soon as she fell we brought her here. The first thing she said when she first came to was that she wanted to see you. Though we are unsure as of how much time she has left, we brought you here as soon as possible. We can only pray that you will have the chance to speak with her."
>> 
>> "Did you know...?" Cecil softly inquired, not wanting in any way to sound demanding. "Did you know she was my mother?"
>> 
>> "No one knew," the Elder professed, "Not until she told us to find you and bring you here. Believe me Cecil, if I had known sooner..."
>> 
>> "I know, thank you for your concern," Cecil responded, still gazing so profoundly over his mother's lovely face. "I've been meaning to thank you for everything you've done. You've shown more faith then I ever thought you should've given me."
>> 
>> "You're a man who has carried more burdens than any other, from the moment you came to me as a dark knight I could see it in your eyes," the Elder dove a bit into his own feelings, for it only seemed right at the moment. "That's what gave me such amazing faith, to see you go on when everything seemed lost, to see you push through every bit of darkness in your life, simply to save those in need. Faith needs little effort next to that."
>> 
>> "Thank you," Cecil found those words to be the only ones he could bring together. He let a few solemn tears fall to his mother's hand before he said anything else. "May I stay with her?"
>> 
>> "We thought you might ask. We have a cot made for you over there," the Elder pointed out, Cecil following his shadowed finger to the small bed in the corner of the room. "We'll bring you anything you need, and there will always be a cleric outside for you."
>> 
>> "Thank you."
>> 
>> Words seemed pointless now, as the candles burned just enough to keep their faces alive, and the feeling of death lurking silently in the shadows. The Elder motioned for everyone to depart as they all slid through the split curtain, leaving Cecil to mourn in peace. The Elder stopped just before passing through the thick fabric, casting a quick caring eye to the one man who had shown him more than life itself. Cecil was everything that should be embraced in light, and he could see it as the room actually seemed brighter with his presence. The light of the candles grew stronger for him, and it was then that he realized that his lost soul had been found.
>> 
>> ...
>> 
>> The sun was beginning to set behind them, as Leviathan's long slender scales refracted colors unimaginable to any mind's eye. She sat atop his head, holding tight to two long antennae that protruded just above his eyes. The first thing she did was breathe deep into the sweet filling taste of the upper world air. She could see the scarlet patterns of a sky on fire, and to the far east she noticed the looming blanket of night on the horizon. All of these sensations that she had yearned for, and she was basking in all it had to offer her. She could feel the warm sun on her back as they rose up from the great opening, climbing just over the mountain tops. It was absolutely beautiful, and if she could freeze a moment in time it would've been this one.
>> 
>> "Where shall I take you?" Leviathan's monstrous voice spoke surprisingly gentle. Rydia took a moment to look around, although she knew where she wanted to go. But then something came to her, and she realized that this was her journey, her time to discover herself. There was only one way she was going to do this.
>> 
>> "Just let me down on that mountain path there," Rydia ordered, a smile stretching from ear to ear. If anything she was positively ecstatic about this, though a part of her was still mourning over her life she had left behind. But seeing all this was more than enough to wash it away, and she was eager to begin her search for home. "Don't worry about me. I'll find my way around."
>> 
>> "Are you sure?" Leviathan asked, just in case, "I can take you anywhere you would like to go."
>> 
>> "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I need this time to travel on my own." Rydia assured her King, knowing he worried for her at every possible moment. She held tight as he dove down through the mountains, weaving around peaks as they searched for a safe path to walk. "Right there, you see it?"
>> 
>> As the magnificent serpent made his final swoop through a wide valley, he circled above and softly hovered down for a gentle landing. Leviathan lowered his head to the ground as Rydia tossed her bag down first before vaulting off after it. Upon her landing her boot caught a rock and she slipped, sending her falling head first towards another large rock. She was caught by one of Leviathans many strange appendages that spring out of his head. He helped her stand upright before she dusted herself off with a sheepish smile.
>> 
>> "Thanks." Rydia bent down to pick up her bag, throwing it over her shoulder before she cast another smile, though a bit sad this time. "Tell everyone that I'll be okay."
>> 
>> Leviathan nodded his mighty serpentine head, causing a small draft to wisp her hair over her shoulder. She looked utterly radiant under the heavenly sky of the upper world, and the King noticed this, seeing her bright smile come so easy here. It saddened him a bit, which also surprised him immensely, for such an emotion was a rare experience. He watched her begin her journey as she took her first steps down the valley towards a small village that rested at its mouth. He couldn't help but worry, although he knew Rydia, of all people, would be fine. If there was anything he ever learned from her, it was that she could take care of herself. He simply prayed for her, that she would find what she was looking for, where ever that may be.
>> 
>> _Blessed be this wayward angel,_
>> 
>> _ for those things lost,_
>> 
>> _ and for those things found,_
>> 
>> _ may she come to see_
>> 
>> _ what lay before her_
>> 
>> _ and know what lay behind her,_
>> 
>> _ and come to be_
>> 
>> _ where her soul is sound_.


End file.
